


What is ours

by Ibenholt



Category: TMNT (2007)
Genre: Family Issues, Fix-It of Sorts, One-Sided Attraction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:40:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 9,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24895543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ibenholt/pseuds/Ibenholt
Summary: After the fight on the rooftop, Raph runs away too fast. Without any idea of where Leo is, he starts a desperate search to track down his brother.But does Leo want to be found?
Comments: 38
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

“We don’t need ya!”

The last punch had Leo screaming into the night. He heard the rain drum on his shell as Raph stood over him.

He was vaguely aware that his arm was higher up than the rest of him. Before he had time to think, he felt an enormous pressure on his elbow, and heard a snap.

The pain didn’t register at first.

Then he realized that Raph had just broken his arm. He did his best not to whimper as the pain began to register. He knew that the shock would soon set in, and it wouldn’t feel as bad anymore. For now, as it came over him, he felt himself get light-headed.

His snout was bloodied after Raph had shoved his head into the concrete, and his muscles ached after the brutal assault. 

Raph’s ragged breath was like thundercrashes.

Then the silence fell over them like a big blanket.

And then the panicked little inhale as the fog of anger lifted and Raph finally realized what he had done.

He heard Raph take a few steps, but instead of turning to him, he eyed his katanas that were too far away for him to reach. No matter. They were broken anyway. 

He heard Raph start a word. But then suddenly, he was bounding over rooftops. No reason to try and stop him when he got like this. What would he tell Master Splinter? Sorry, I failed yet again. 

Leo trembled and slowly used his knees to inch himself up. Every new angle was sending the pain through him in new ways. His arm hung limp by his side. He should check if the bone was exposed, but his head was spinning. 

He didn’t even notice the dart hitting him. Just assumed his body was protesting

But he did hear the shuffling of stone on stone.

Looking up, four moving statues were approaching. Great, he was losing it.

“Clearly not the last monster. But also not human.” One voice said.

“Yaotl won’t know the difference.” Another responded.

Coarse hands grabbed him, and he struggled as much as he could. Now he saw the dart, and it was as if seeing it sent the potion in it coursing to his head.

“L-Leave…me…alone…”

He cried out as he fell in on himself, and darkness took hold.


	2. Chapter 2

Raph’s stomach was a knot of anxiety as he snuck back into the lair. He pried his suit off with shaking fingers, hid it, and showered, and water rapping against his shell was almost enough to drown out the echo of Leo's bones snapping.

Sleep was impossible. Every few minutes, he jolted awake to the sound of Leo's screams.

He finally forced himself to sit up and wake when Donnie’s customer service voice floated through the lair. Mikey was yawning into his cereal, and Splinter was drinking tea when he got down. Donnie was by his screens, squeezing a stress ball as he once again went over the standard questions. He could probably do it in his sleep by now.

But there was no sign of their fearless leader. It wasn’t like Leo to sleep in. But, he reminded himself, if there was ever a reason, he sure had one now.

“Where’s Leo?” he asked, trying to rub some life into his face.

The others shared a look, and Raph braced himself. Here it came. Mikey telling him he seriously needed professional help. Donnie saying something snide about the scientific names of the damage he’d done to Leo. Splinter’s grave worry, because maybe he wouldn’t be mad. He’d be disappointed in Raphael as well as himself, and Raph hated that more than anything.

“We hoped you’d tell us, dude. We haven’t seen him all day.”

Raph felt as though he’d been dunked in ice water.

“What?”

“His room is empty, too.”

Raph barely heard Mikey out before he ran in the direction of Leo’s room, tore the door open and stared into the pretty little hidey-hole he’d had set up for himself. After the first year was up, and Leo’s letters had stopped coming, Raph started bribing Mikey with sweets to get out of cleaning it. Later, it had taken everything he had not to spit on the door whenever he passed it.

But he wasn’t there. Splinter’s medallion was laid neatly on the low table where he drank his tea, and it glittered against Raph in a way that seemed to say ‘you will never, ever get to wear me’.

His bed was made, his comicbooks were in a neat stack, and the glass of water he kept next to him was empty.

Panic coursed through him, and he backed out of the room and turned to his family. They looked concerned but not harried. Donnie covered his mic and murmured, “He left his shellcell, too, so there’s no telling where he is.”

Hyperventilating sounded good about now. Raph's knuckles burned, and his muscles protested with every move he made. He had given everything during the fight. Had he really messed Leo up so badly that he hadn’t been able to limp home?

“Raphael.”

Splinter came over to him and put a paw on his arm. Here it came. His guilt was as plain as day! Splinter was for sure gonna kick him to the curb.

“You are the one who took Leonardo’s absence the hardest. But you need to calm yourself. He has not left us again.”

Raph managed a grunt. No, Leo hadn’t left them. That much was true. He steeled himself; this was his mess, and he was gonna clear it up without involving his family. He headed for the exit.

“I’ll go look for him.”

“Why are ya so worried all of a sudden?" Michealangelo asks, "Remember, last time we let Leo run around for this long, he came back! Flyin’ through a window, sure but he always comes back!”

He'd come back beaten and broken by the Foot. It had taken Leonardo two months to recover physically. Raph knew it had been way longer mentally. That healing might not even be over, he thought, biting his lip.

He glared at Mikey, who backed away a little,

“… I-I thought that would cheer you up…”

Raph grabbed his bandana and his knuckles cracked as he knotted it around his head. “WHY THE FUCK WOULD THAT CHEER ME UP, IDIOT!”

He jumped when Donnie smacked him on the back of his knees with his bo staff. “Back off, Raph! Look, if anything, Leo’s probably holed up with April and Casey. You know he doesn’t move in the daylight.”

“He might have. I’ll go find him.”

Splinter stepped in front of him,

“No. I forbid you. We will wait for Leonardo right here.”

“But, Master…!”

“Was I unclear somehow?”

“No, sensei,” Raph said, slumping forward. He scarfed down some leftover pizza and paced like a caged tiger - and even with his exhaustion, the nervous energy would not let him stop, even as the sun ducked under the high windows of their lair and the moon rose.

He was gonna fix this. He had to.


	3. CHapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to look for the names on the three last generals on imdb like some common nerd. 
> 
> Winters – Yaotl   
> Second in command - Aguila   
> Leopard skin – Gato (I know, I know...)  
> Tank – Santino  
> The Lady – Serpiente
> 
> I hope you all will forgive me if I'm being a little liberal with the timing and all. I wanna drag this out. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“There you are.”

The generals turned to face their leader. They had not expected Yaotl to join them down in the chambers. He so rarely did, yet now he stood there as if he had no other purpose, looking at them expectantly.

“Honored brother. We return.” Aguila bowed. Serpiente stood aside, letting Santino show off the creature in his arms. Yaotl leaned forward and inspected it closely before giving them a confused smile,

“And this is?”

“One of the monsters, of course.” Santino said. A feat, considering he rarely spoke. He relied on his weapons or imposing size to do the talking for him.

“It most certainly isn’t!” Yaotl laughed, “My dear brothers, I have studied these monsters for centuries! This is not one of them!”

They exchanged a few nervous glances, ignored by Yaotl, who tapped the turtle’s plastron, “Not to worry. We still have time. But what should we do with this one? Where did you find it, sister?”

“On a rooftop, my general. Fighting what we assumed was one of it’s own.” Serpiente answered.

“That should have been your first indication that this was not the right creature. They’re all unique. Tell me, did you catch the other one, as well?”

“We found them just as he was running away.”

“I see. All this time, and New York still manages to surprise me. My curiosity is piqued, and this turtle is hurt. Have him put in the guest bedroom. Gato, I trust you will do what you can for him.”

The healer of their outfit nodded, and their general left them.

“…What now?” Serpiente said, eyeing the turtle, “You were wrong, brother. He knows the difference.”

Aguila grit his teeth, making a nasty sound of rock scraping against rock. Santino handed the turtle off to Gato, then tapped his shoulder guard. It moved, and an angry hissing followed. The little demon they had captured previously was waking up it seemed.

“I’m going hunting. Maybe I’ll be clumsy and lose my prey.”

The others nodded to him, and they went their separate ways.


	4. Chapter 4

Raph would grovel and apologize for as long as Leo wanted, and he would act his age and get some therapy. Donnie probably could figure out some over-the-phone-stuff for him.

He hadn’t lied to Leo. He had liked calling his own shots. Enjoyed being on his own every night, fighting bad guys. He would be fine doing that alone for the rest of his life.

But he had to face that if he couldn’t wake up to Splinter and Mikey and Donnie at 4 or 5 in the afternoon, he would have been depressed as shit by now. Living completely alone wasn’t an option. And there was a tiny little bit of a possibility that he had missed Leo and had let his aggression and abandonment issues cloud his common sense. Maybe.

It didn’t matter in the end. He sure as hell hadn’t meant for this to happen!

He had hoped that Leo would have stayed where he left him, or at least close by. That he was lying curled up under some newspaper, or hiding out in a shed.

All he found were Leo’s broken katanas, and a trail of blood that turned into drops before stopping abruptly.

Leo had been moved by someone.

But who?

“HUN!”

Raph kept the accusatory tone, despite wondering if he had the wrong apartment. Hell, Hun barely lifted his head to look at him in the open window. He had 5 o’clock shadow and a stomach that was getting a little pouchy, probably owed to the now empty beer bottles that littered the place.

“… fuck. What the hell you want?”

If he was surprised, he didn’t show it. He looked more annoyed than anything. Raph jumped in, sais raised,

“Where is he?”

“Where’s who, asshole!”

He got up and pushed Raph into a wall with little more effort than he’d close a door. 

“Where’s Leo!”

“… he’s back?” Hun swayed a little. Raph had to commend his circulation. Getting blood through a body that big couldn’t be easy.

“Stop being so dumb for two seconds, Hun! Where is he!”

“I didn’t even know that uptight sissy was ba-”

Raph’s fist connected with Hun’s chin, and the giant stepped back. But then he leaned foreward, slamming himself into Raph and sending him back into the wall. 

“Listen here, you little shit. Shredder’s dead, meanin’ I ain’t got no business with The Foot no more!” he punched Raph in the face, “Meanin’…” he added a kick, “I don’t gotta deal with any more goddamn ninjas, including freaks like you!”

Raph managed to evade the next fist, and instead jumped onto his shoulders, throwing off his balance. He slammed the hilt of his sai into Hun’s neck, making him sink to the ground. Thank God for beer, was all Raph could think. He was pissed, but he doubted he could have taken on Hun alone unless he was this sloppy.

“And I don’t suppose you got a grudge against Leo for beheadin’ Shredder, huh?”

Raph groaned, trying to ignore how his insides felt like they’d been in a blender. Hun remained seated on the floor,

“Funny thing… havin’ your gang used as a human shield in an all-out war don’t really soften you towards the bastard who gave the order.”

Raph had heard whispers, of course. And Lord knew that he and his brothers had seen enough dead Purple Dragons littering the street in the aftermath of Shredder’s bloody crusade against any and all who wanted to oppose him.

He hadn’t seen a single one of them walking the street after the last brawl. At best, there would be a badly hidden tattoo on some bozo who looked like they were trying to get their life back on track.

Much like Hun, who was wearing and t-shirt and jeans. The long blonde ponytail had been replaced by a brown buzzcut. He still looked like he could play The Hulk, but aside from that, he looked real goddamn plain.

“I don’t know where your brother is, alright! But hey, if he’s dead in a gutter somewhere, I ain’t sheddin’ no tears for’im!”

Raph gave him a punch goodnight before he moved on.


	5. Chapter 5

Leo’s eyes slid open and he enjoyed a few blissful seconds before remembering that everything ached. Then he recalled why everything ached, and his mood became even fouler.

Adding to it was the feeling that something was not right. First of all, he was wrapped up in cotton sheets instead of lovingly patched up blankets. Secondly, the room smelled like a night back in the jungle, where the scent of rare flowers mixed with that of ripe fruit. And then there was the light. It was sunlight bright, not like the lamps in the lair, with their whitish green glare.

Oh no.

“Ah, good, you’re awake.”

Too early on the oh no.

He wanted so badly to sit up, but his body was denying him anything more than slightly turning his head.

A man with impossibly wide shoulder and clothes that Leo was afraid he was dirtying just by looking at them stood by his bed. It took Leo longer than he would have liked, but he suddenly remembered April’s briefing and the pictures…

Winters.

The adrenaline finally kicked in, and Leo started inching himself away, only to cry out and curl in on himself from the pain. The man grabbed onto him with large, warm hands and helped him back to the middle of the mattress. 

“None of that. You’re not in any danger.”

“T-this is a costume…”

“It most certainly isn’t,” The man said, “and it would be very inconvenient if it was true, as you have been patched up and your arm is in a cast. But if it’s any consolation, I have seen things far stranger than you recently. As I said, you’re quite safe.”

Leo was close to choking. How the hell could this have happened? He was the most careful of his brothers. He was always the one who avoided contact with humans. Had it been his call, April and Casey would just have been people who had each their crazy story of man-sized turtles coming to their aid. 

“I do apologize for the inconvenience. My… colleagues were looking for someone, and it appears they mistook you for that someone.”

“You can cut the crap…” Leo groaned. His throat was burning. He was hungry, and so pissed off both about Raph and about this happening that he didn’t know what to do with himself. Ah, and his head felt very unclear, which wasn’t adding to his mood, “I know who you are, and that you’re hunting monsters. And I know you’re planning on opening the portal and…”

He groaned again, and Winters offered him a glass with a straw in it. He reached out, only to realized his arm was being restricted by the aforementioned cast. The other arm ached, but he wasn’t about to let a stranger feed him. He sucked down the water, which somehow tasted expensive. Winters took the glass from him once he was done, and refilled it. 

“I am sending the monsters home.”

He said calmly. Leo drank slower,

“Home?”

“Yes.”

“But I thought…”

“Yes?”

“You were… were going to get more wealth and power…thanks to the monsters…”

“Ah yes, rampaging monsters would make me quite powerful, wouldn’t they?”

“You could have the means to take them down. And then… become a hero. Get into politics.”

Leo the conspiracy-theorist. This man would perhaps not laugh at him if he knew the stuff he’d seen in his short life. Interdimensional travel, aliens and corrupt governments had been his everyday-life once.

“I would rather die.”

Winters chuckled at his own joke, Leo did not.

“No, Mister Turtle, I am sending the monsters home, which will counteract the effect of the portal spitting more out.”

“But why?”

“It’s my responsibility.”

Leo adjusted himself, prepared to interrogate him further, but Winters held up a hand,

“Enough. At least for now. You must be famished.” 

Without waiting for a reply, Winters returned with a cart. He whipped off cloches like he was a chef showing off his latest triumph, and a wall of smells had Leo salivating.

“I wasn’t quite sure what you liked, so I had the cook whip up a bit of everything.”

“And how much of it is poisoned?” Leo said, quite aware that he couldn’t look away from the sausages, bacon, pancakes, salads, fruits and pastries. Winters helped him sit up and kept him there with the softest pillows Leo had ever come across.

“I assume she has been a little liberal in seasoning the eggs, but otherwise…”

Leo still just stared at the cart, and Winters shrugged,

“I’ll take a bite out of everything if it helps.”

“You could be immune…”

“You’re very suspicious. I think someone’s seen The Princess Bride one time too many.”

Leo snorted at him,

“Please. Pick something.”

He’d never had blueberry pancakes. They went down slowly, but they were good. Especially with earl grey tea. Winters sampled a few tastes from some of the plates, leaving more than enough for Leo.

Finally, Leo emptied a glass of juice and looked at him,

“Why are you doing this?”

“You need to eat, don’t you?”

“I mean letting me stay here. You could throw me out.”

“Yes, but that wouldn’t be very gentlemanly, would it? It’s thanks to my associates that you are in my care in the first place.”

“But they weren’t the ones who did this.”

“I am aware of that.”

Leo swallowed suddenly. The rage against Raph bubbled up again, but this time it was tinted with hate. Fire inside ice.

“Do you want to go home?”

He looked down at his arm. Felt how sore his nose was, and that his legs probably wasn’t gonna carry him further than to the bathroom at the other end of the room. Knew he couldn’t handle another lecture from Master Splinter, or see Raph without wanting revenge.

Still, it shocked him when he looked right into Winters eyes and calmly said,

“No.”


	6. CHapter 6

No luck with Hun.

The Foot was the obvious choice, but Raph had hoped it could wait.

The ninjas had a tendency to easily find him and his brothers at the most inconvenient times, but they were awful hard to track down. And it wasn’t their style to kidnap Leo, which meant that he’d probably have to fend off about 50 trained assholes plus Karai only to discover that they didn’t have a clue where the hell Leo was.

His mind then conjured up a picture of Leo being tortured. Tortured and then strung up somewhere they’d find him, as a warning to them and…

No.

They’d won.

Karai had stepped back, deeply unhappy and eyes burning with hate, but honorable where her adoptive father knew and used every dirty trick in the book.

If they wanted Leo dead, they’d slit his throat where they’d found him, and left.

Don’s lab always seemed warm and inviting. Any unfamiliar lab might as well belong to Doctor Frankenstein as far as Raph was concerned. However, Stockman’s lab was quiet, smelling faintly of chemicals. Raph was close to lowering his guard when a voice over a comm-system rang out,

“Oh, god, not again…”

Stockman appeared from a door Raph hadn’t noticed, and crossed his arms, of which there now only were two.

“What do you want… Renoir, or whatever your name is.”

“It’s Raphael, fly face.”

“I don’t really care. I have doctorates in science and engineering. Leave art to the stoners and the ones who have yet to realize that blowing colored soap bubbles onto canvases aren’t a career path.”

“Look, as much as I’d love to discuss the science vs arts with you, I’m here because my brother’s missing.”

“Which one?”

“Blue.”

“Ah, him. And you come here?”

“Why not? You’re usually in kahoots with someone out to kill us.” Raph tapped his sai to show that he was ready to throw down. Stockman only soured,

“’Kahoots’ being the operative word, Red. I would have thought you would remember that Shredder is dead. Especially since Leonardo was the one to deliver the killing blow.”

“Really? You remember Leo’s name, but not mine?”

“Leonardo Da Vinci was also a scientist. I don’t know what your namesake did.”

“He painted ‘The School of Athens’, you arrogant shit! In all your time at college, you didn’t glimpse that painting once or twice?”

Stockman shook his hand at him,

“That’s not interesting.”

“Guess not. Look, I don’t wanna hurt ya more than necessary. I just wanna know if ya seen or heard somethin’.”

“No.” Stockman said, “As soon as Shredder died, the clan cut all their ties with me, and I have not received a cent from them. As such, I have no motive for hurting you or your brothers.”

“How goddamn noble of you.”

Stockman shrugged,

“Can’t you just be glad I’m not currently dissecting him for kicks?”

Raph rolled his eyes before turning around to leave. 

“Fine.”

“Wait,” Stockman sighed, “Have you checked with the clan?”

“No.”

“Excellent. When you do, inform them that my services are theirs, if they can afford to pay me.”

Raph didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so he did neither.


	7. CHapter 7

_“April told me you guys have stopped crime fighting, but she didn’t tell me why.”_

_Leo had looked at Mikey and Donnie over his mug. Mikey had been pretty liberal with the whipped cream, waiting for it to sink into the cocoa. Leo had just come home after all! Who even CARED if it was way past midnight!  
_

_“I dunno, Leo. With Shredder gone, we just…” Don shrugged, and Mikey kicked him under the table._

_“Don’t lie to him!”_

_“Mike…”_

_“Don got hurt.” Mikey finally said, his brother flinching._

_“What?” Leo looked to Donnie like he hadn’t just seen him fly into the kitchen and dig out some leftover birthday cake._

_“Real badly, too!” Mikey continued, “He got shot in the leg and the arm. Bullet wounds, man!”_

_“Bullet…”_

_It occurred to Leo that for all the times they had fought people wielding guns, they had, at worst, only been lightly grazed._

_“But how…”_

_“We were just sloppy. I’m fine now, I promise. It’s just… well, father kinda insisted we don’t do any vigilante-work until you come back. And now you’re here, so…”_

_“Back to business!” Mikey said happily._

Leo stared up into the ceiling. Back to business indeed. One disastrous outing and one severe beating later, he’d gotten himself kidnapped. Sort of. It wasn’t really kidnapping if Winters was prepared to let him go the moment he could use his legs was it?

The room was dark, and the stars were glittering in the sky. With a groan, he turned to lie on his side to better enjoy the view. He’d never really slept in a room with windows. Or in such a comfortable bed.

The door creaked, and Winters peeked in,

“And how is the patient this evening?”

He had another cart with him.

“I-I’m better. I’m sorry, I think I slept away the whole day.”

“That means you’re healing.”

Winters was quick, dragging a small table and a chair from the other side of the room, making it look almost restaurant-worthy.

The cloches came off again, revealing French onion soup. Leo had never had any, but enough tv-watching clued him in.

“Supper is served. Piping hot, so do be careful. I’m sorry if it’s a little simple, but considering the state you are in, I thought this would be kind on your stomach.”

He set it out, and Leo had to hold back to not to scarf it all down.

“No worries… this is great.”

“Ah, I suppose I should have asked you what you are used to.”

“Trust me, it’s miles away from this.”

“Lettuce, perhaps?”

Leo gave him a wry smile, “Turtle jokes?”

“Just trying to lighten the mood. You looked positively gloomy when I came in.”

Leo took a bite of his bread, shrugging as much as he could.

“So if not lettuce, then what?”

“Pizza.”

“Pizza?” Winters looked down at the soup,

“Well, then.”

“And Chinese food. And sometimes just veggies and rice. It depends. But honestly, I’ve gotten more used to fish from my…” he paused. He was babbling.

“From your…”

“I was gone for a time. In training. Had to fix my own food.”

“And now you have returned?”

Leo looked away,

“It won’t last.” 

“I’m sure your family misses you.”

“I doubt it.”

Winters’ spoon was drowned in the soup, and he leaned forward, looking deeply serious.

“Sorry.” Leo mumbled, 

“What makes you say such a thing?”

“Nothing. Sorry, I’m just… just being a brat, I guess.” 

“Perhaps you would like to tell me why your brother was attacking you?”

Leo sighed softly,

“It’s just…” his mouth was dry. He wanted to lie down under the covers and stop thinking.

“From the beginning, if that helps you.”

“I was in training for two years. It was only supposed to be one, and my brother feels as though I abandoned them. Now that I am back, he refuses to listen to me. He believes I am no longer fit to lead the team.”

Winters nodded. 

“We had a disagreement because he was… disobeying me and endangering the family, and before I knew it, I was challenging him. You can see the results. Fat lot of good those two years did…”

Leo sighed and took another spoonful of soup before continuing,

“Before he finished me, he said that they don’t need me, and it infuriated me at the time, but now… now I’m wondering if he was right. My other brother is a genius, and he’s working in tech support. My youngest brothe is wasting his talents as well! We’re supposed to be ninjas, and he’s become some kind of… birthday mascot!”

Leo felt the bile bubbling up in him again. He was so sick of the whole situation. Sick of what he had come home to, and sick of himself for feeling like he did.

“They’re all headed in different directions, meaning I can’t keep the team together. And because of that, I have let my father down. So I will not be going home.”

Winters’ hand was big and warm when he laid it over his,

“I won’t pretend I am a stranger to failure. Nor anything else you are feeling at the moment. Save, perhaps, the party mascot. That one is hard to come by.”

Leo laughed a little through the tears he hadn’t noticed clouding his vision,

“I unkowinlgy sacrificed my own family for power. Not a day goes by that I don’t regret it, and feel the ache of missing them, even now that they are back with me. You are feeling hopeless now, but you cannot leave them behind.”

“I have to!”

“No, you don’t have to at all.”

“But…!”

“Leonardo. You are hurt, and it seems in more ways than one. I don’t think there is any point in arguing at this moment, as you shouldn’t really be leaving the bed. I’ll tell you what, while you ponder your predicament, you are my guest, and you may stay here for as long as you wish.” 

“…why?”

“Why not? You’re a young man in need, are you not?”

“Yea. A total damsel in distress.” Leo sighed and rubbed his eyes.

“You were attacked by one of your own, and badly hurt. As I have said, you are welcome to stay here, but I want you to spend your time here reflecting on the good, rather than the bad. However long it might take you to get there.”

“I… Thank you, Mr. Winters. If it’s really no trouble, I would like to stay here for a while.”

“Excellent.”

He cleared the table, and grabbed onto the cart. He was headed for the door when he looked at him over his shoulder,

“And Leonardo? You may call me Yaotl.”

“That’s an unusual name.”

“Coming from someone named Leonardo?”

“I go by Leo…”

He nodded,

“Sleep well, Leo.”


	8. CHapter 8

Lowlife.

Fuckin’ lowlife.

Raphael wrinkled his nose.

He was wasting time again.

These men, thieves, robbers... they wouldn’t kill someone unless they were backed into a corner. It complicated things for them.

Raph could pat himself on the back for throwing a bunch of pimps, murderers and distributors into the hands of cops just needing that last scrap of evidence to put them behind bars permanently. 

But these small-timers entered a goddamned revolving door.

It was good for practice, but by the time he was done with no. 14th of the night, he finally gave up. Why would any of these mooks have heard anything about Leo?

“Sorry, hon. Not this time.”

Annie was probably only 40, but she looked 60 after years of drug abuse. Raph was fighting the urge to give her his jacket. The night wasn’t even very cold, but she was so skinny and frail-looking.

"If anyone had seen one o' ya, I woulda known."

She gave his arm a pat,

“But try not to worry too much, huh? Leon’s a good kid. He wouldn’t walk out on you and the family.”

“I’m afraid someone took’im, Annie.”

Lenny came up behind her and studied Raph with his one good eye. He didn’t smell like beer today, so there were some good news, at least.

“We got a lot of enemies…”

“But it’s been so calm after you donned the suit, hon. Hell, at worst, there are robbers and a lil’ bit of dealing, but even that’s dying down. You did good!”

She smiled at him, and he felt his cheeks heat up a bit. It felt unfair to Splinter, but sometimes, Annie treated him like he was her kid, and he loved it.

But the fear of all the nightmare scenarios of what could have happened to Leo was drowning that feeling out.

“Maybe he just needed some room to breathe,” Lenny suggested, “You said he came home after two years alone in the jungle, right? Might be a bit cramped at home.”

Raph sighed, “Maybe…”

Annie looked to the horizon, azure eyes focusing,

“Sun’s coming up, kiddo, and you’ve been out all night. Go home now, and get some rest. Maybe he’s come home.”

As she spoke, she leaned down and hugged him firmly, and he found himself hugging back. Her hair tickled.

“It’ll work out, baby. Ain’t that what I always tell you?”

“Sure, Annie.”

He let himself slide down the ladder of the manhole cover and stood at the bottom for a bit, biting the inside of his cheek. He’d failed.

Not a single clue!

But maybe, just maybe, Leo had made his way home. Maybe he was getting patched up by Don right now and was making up some lie about how he’d gotten so hurt. They’d talk it out, and…

But no one had alerted him. And a surprise party wasn’t happening. Not in a situation like this.

Sighing, he walked into the lair.

“Raph!”

Mikey landed in front of him, startling him. Way to let his guard down. Mikey didn’t care, however, grabbing his wrist and hauling him into the living room where Don was illuminated by all his screens,

“Dude, we finally found something!”

“ _I_ found something,” Don corrected, “I just hacked a few cameras, no biggie.”

There was nothing accusatory in his tone, and yet Raph swallowed, “What’d you see?”

“Fuckin’ sci-fi, man!” Mikey said.

“Michelangelo!” Splinter’s voice came like a dart from the kitchen. Raph could smell the tea and coffee.

“Sorry! Fuckin’ fantasy, man!”

Splinter sighed softly before joining them. Donnie’s main screen fired up, showing an alley with a car blocking most of the view.

At least until _they_ showed up.

Stone statues. The ones that had attacked him. They landed on the ground, the biggest one holding an unconscious Leo on his shoulder. They put him into a car and drove off into the night.

“I think I know where we need to go,” Donnie said, “Call up April and Casey. We might need back-up on this one.”


	9. Chapter 9

It was rushed. Hell, they grabbed their stuff and jumped into the party van.

But while gearing up usually was fun, it was because they were all together, ready to get out there and kick ass. Now they were saving Leo, and who KNEW what he’d been through during all this time?

Donnie and April were already hunkered over the computer, working on finding a way in that would leave them undetected, while Casey and Mikey were hyping each other up. It almost made Raphael smile. Then the anxiety returned like a fist to the throat, and he tried to bite back everything that was threatening to fall out of him.

“My son.”

Splinter’s hand was warm against his shoulder, and for a second, all he wanted to do was hug his father and feel his fur tickle his face. Just be 5 years old again and have his biggest worry be that Mikey would take the largest slice of pizza.

“Leonardo will be alright. These creatures are needed alive, after all, so harming him will be idiotic.”

He nodded weakly, while the voice that was slowly manifesting in the back of his head laughed. No, big boy, you took care of that, didn’t you?

“Yes, father.”

“I know it’s been hard on you, having him be away for so long. And that it’s been an adjustment to have him return. Perhaps this can be a new start for us all?”

Raph swallowed, almost spilling over again…

“THERE!” April yelled, hugging Donnie, “We did it! War-faces on, guys. I’m hoping this will be a ninja-heavy mission, but if Winters has stone soldiers, we gotta be ready for action!”

It was as though Raph’s soul… his center… his core, whatever he could call it, was running ahead. He couldn’t focus. The anticipation, the fear was gripping him with small, sharp claws, digging into him. One moment they were in the van, the second they were inside Winters’ home, trying not to let their feet make noise against the stone floor.

Splinter was sniffing the air and waving at them to follow him. They went through a barely lit maze of paintings, statues and vases. It was a museum, not a home.

Finally they reached a large hall. Nothing on the walls, but Raph had a sinking feeling the floor was losing value from having all of them standing on it.

Then, far away, something shattered.

An alarm blared and golden walls clamped every opening shut. They gathered quickly, their backs to each other and weapons pointed outwards.

“I swear to fuck that wasn’t me…” Casey breathed.

A bright light came on, making them squint.

“Miss O’Neil? Well, it is a small world, indeed.” Winters leaned over a railing, looking down at them with pure amusement.

“Winters, we don’t want any trouble.”

“Oh? And yet you break in? And in that get-up?”

“Back off, dude, she looks awesome!” Mikey yelled. April lifted her sword,

“We believe you’ve kidnapped a friend of ours, mistaking him for one of the monsters you are hunting. As I said, we don’t want any trouble, but we want him back.”

“My… you have been working hard, have you not, Miss O’Neil? I’m impressed. True, I fear your friend was accidentally pulled into my project, however…”

Leonardo stepped out from the shadows and stood next to Winters like it was the most natural thing in the world. He was wearing an open robe, his arm in a cast, and leaning on a crutch. His snout was bruised, and both eyes were so swollen that it looked like he was struggling to keep them open.

“Kidnapping is a nasty word.” Winters said, crossing his arms.

“Leo!” Mikey called out, “What did you do to him!”

The world paused. Raph stared at his brother. At the damage he’d done, and that even through the grey swell, fury was shining. 

“You didn’t tell them, Raph?” Leo broke into a half-hearted laughter, “I figured you’d tell all of New York how much fun you had beating the shit outta me.”

“I didn’t…!” Raph cried, but Leo scoffed.

“Right. Whatever. Couldn’t even finish the job, could you? See, father? I couldn’t even inspire Raph to kill me! Some leader I am!”

“Raph, what is he talking about…” Donnie muttered. Raph couldn’t even look at him. Not at anyone. They were all looking, all judging, all questioning…

“You haven’t been able to get that hothead to calm down for 18 years! How am I supposed to succeed, huh? He hates my guts! Don’t even try to deny it, Raph! You know something, you were right! I should have stayed in the jungle!”

Mikey looked like he had been shot,

“But Leo…”

“Go home, Mike.”

“Leo…!” Donnie interjected. It sounded like was gonna use that voice… the voice that said ‘I may be the second oldest, but I’m the calmest head’. Leo wasn’t having it.

“I said: go home! This isn’t working! I wish I had never come home! I wish you,” he pointed at April, “Had stayed out of this!”

“Dude, that’s not fair!” Casey yelled, “This is your family!”

“Some family! How could I possibly resist getting beaten up by Raph while Mikey’s running around amongst humans, and Donnie wastes his talents at a phone all day! No, I’m fed up! Shredder’s dead, Master. There’s not need for us to stay together. We did what you trained us…”

“YAME!”

Splinter’s staff hit the floor hard and the noise resounded through the hall, shutting everyone up. Even Winters seemed to straighten his back a little.

“You are upset, my son, so I will ignore your outburst,” Splinter, “This is a family matter, and as such, I would much rather we discuss it at home. I thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Winters, but it is time we left.”

“That I agree with… Splinter, was it? However, I have invited Leonardo to stay here for as long as he would like.”

“And I’m not going.” Leo said. Raphel didn’t know why, didn’t know how it could be that after everything, he could allow himself to talk, but Leo’s petulant look got him.

“You’re gonna sulk here?”

“GO TO HELL!” This time Leo’s voice bounced off the walls. He leaned on the railing again, and Winter took his good arm, giving him extra support.

“You piece of garbage… you know what, Raph, go lead the team! Let’s see if you get them killed with your Nightwatcher-bullshit or if you cut out the middle-man and do it yourself!”

His voice echoed, would continue to echo, in Raph’s ears. Winters cleared his throat, 

“Leonardo is my guest. You, however, are not. I would like you all to be gone from the premises in 2 minutes, or I will have to retaliate.”

“Oh, yeah! You and what army?” Raph roared. No sooner had he done so, there was Foot all around them, arrows aimed and ready.

“… ok, that sure is an army.”

Mikey mumbled to Donnie.

“As I said,” Winters leaned onto the railing, “Leonardo will be safe here.”

Splinter’s ears folded towards his head when Leonardo remained in place, eyes shining as he looked at Winters.

“My sons,” he said after a beat or two, “… we are leaving.”


	10. Chapter 10

“Are you alright?”

Yaotl had offered him his arm, and Leo accepted, not too proud to admit that the crutch was barely helping.

“Yes. Thank you. You didn’t have to…”

“Of course I did. You’re under my protection. But it is admirable that your whole family came together to fetch you. And so ready to offer life and limb, too…”

“Raph didn’t tell them.” Leo said, his heart stinging, “And you didn’t tell me that the Foot work for you.”

“Oh? You’re familiar with them?”

“Let’s just say it’s kinda hard for ninja clans not to find each other in this city…”

A snort was heard, and Karai stepped out of the shadows,

“Indeed.”

“Karai.” Leo felt like he should step in front of Winters to protect him, but he remained on his arm, shifting his weight from one swollen leg to the other.

“Leonardo.” She said, her voice professional, even as she looked them over with an arched eyebrow.

“Your circle of friends is much larger than I would have anticipated, Leonardo.” Yaotl said.

“Friend is far too generous, trust me.” Karai said curtly. The sound of stone on stone had them all turn to see Aguila appear in the doorway.

“Be that as it may, can I at least trust you to get him back to his room?” Yaotl asked.

Neither of them had time to protest as he all but placed Leo in Karai’s arm and joined his general.

“So you rule the Foot now?” 

Leo had gone back to his crutch. No need to treat Karai like a babysitter. Not yet, anyway. 

“I was next in line, was I not?”

“Yea. Guess I just wanted to know if i have to worry about you coming into my room at night and slitting my throat.”

“Like I would be so honorless.”

Leo was about to spit something cruel her way, but stopped himself. He’d said enough for one day, hadn’t he?

“I did kill your father. I can’t say I could blame you for wanting revenge.”

Winter’s home was a maze, but they did find his room. Karai opened the door to the balcony and walked out. Leo followed, sitting down on one of the ornate chairs that was placed there. It was high enough that he didn’t worry about being seen.

“You beat my father, and you did so honorably, even when he broke the rules to get an advantage.” Karai looked out over the city, “I did not always understand my father’s methods, but I loved him. I suppose you can relate to that.”

Leo didn’t respond, instead he leaned back into the cushion.

He loved his father. He still remembered the ice cold mornings when they were still in the early stages of mutation, and Splinter lay curled up around them, every now and then nudging them with his nose, his whiskers tickling their faces.

But he also remembered every scolding, and how much he hated himself for feeling like everything was his fault, even though he’d been given a team that in his absence hadn’t even trained.

‘No excuses’, his father had said when Raphael had burst into battle, and they had almost gotten caught on camera. How he’d gotten the blame once again. 

“My soldiers said that they found you on a rooftop, beaten by one of your own.”

Karai said, and it felt like hours had passed. Leo nodded.

“Yup. Knocked me right out of the clan.”

“Brothers fight do they not?”

“Not like this. I don’t belong there anymore.”

“You don’t belong here, either, no matter how enamored you are with Winters.”

That startled him enough to stand right up,

“I’m not…!”

“Don’t be stupid. Of course you are. A handsome warrior who’s noble and world-weary? Like you wouldn’t.”

“You don’t know me.” Leo hissed, immediately feeling like he was at least 4 years younger.

“You’re an open book, Leonardo. That was always your problem.” 

She jumped up on the railing, looking down at him even as she let herself fall,

“But don’t forget… some men just become soft when they encounter injured animals. It doesn’t have to mean much.”

She easily manuvered herself to the ground and ran off. She always got the last word, that one, Leo thought to himself.

But it didn’t usually prickle as much as it did this time.


	11. Chapter 11

_If someone said three years from now_

_You'd be long gone_

_I'd stand up and punch them out_

_Cause they're all wrong_

_I know better_

_Cause you said forever_

_And ever_

_Who knew_

*click*

_And my heart is hurting_

_You will always be around_

_This I know for certain_

*click*

_You tell me that you need me_

_Then you go and cut me down, but wait_

_You tell me that you're sorry_

_Didn't think I'd turn around and say_

*click*

_Does it hurt_

_To know I'll never be there_

_Bet it sucks_

_To see my face everywhere_

_It was you_

_Who chose to end it like you did_

*click*

Casey groaned before turning the radio off. April looked back into the passenger seats. Splinter had never looked quite so small as he did now, curled up in his seat, clutching his staff. Mikey was leaning on Donnie, who was absent-mindedly stroking his hand, now and then looking to Raph, who was in the back, strapped in and far away. 

“You guys are welcome to have dinner with us… I mean… it’s probably be a midnight snack, but…”

“I thank you, miss O’neil. But I think we require sleep more than anything else at the moment.” Splinter said softly.

April didn’t push it, and drove them into an alley where they could submerge without any prying eyes on them.

The lair seemed towering as they returned.

Raph looked to his sensei, who headed straight for his room. He reached out a hand, but whatever he wanted to say died in his throat.

And then the doors closed.

Mikey packed away their gear without a single complaint, and Donnie went to his screens to see how many calls he had missed.

The horrible anxiety that had been gnawing away at his nerves had disappeared at seeing Leo alive and… he supposed, safe. But now it could no longer distract him from the horrible guilt and the realization that he had messed up so badly that Master Splinter wouldn’t even yell at him, and his brothers kept away from him.

He leapt up to his room and started packing a bag. 

“No!”

He’d barely had the time to walk two steps in the livingroom when Mikey tackled him like a college footballer desperate for a scholarship.

“Get off!”

“No! Leo’s left, you don’t get to bail on us, too!”

Donnie came over, arms crossed,

“Are you serious?”

“I’m leavin’ before I do any more damage! I know you’re mad at me!”

“Of course we’re mad at you, dipshit! But this was Leo’s choice to make, and he’s clearly dealing with a lot more than you smacking him around.” Donnie yelled.

It took them a minute to notice that Splinter had joined them. His tail was whipping against the floor.

“Dad…” Raph begun, only to have Splinter rip the bag out of his hand and turn his back to them. After a few steps, he paused, and spoke so loudly that it echoed through the lair:

“I’ve already lost one son today. Are you going to deprive me of a second?”

“No, sensei. I’m sorry.”

Splinter’s shoulders slumped,

“We should rest. It’s been a long night. I want you all in place tomorrow morning. If not, I am dragging you back here and tying you up.”

Mikey, the self-proclaimed King of Cozy, put on a movie they’d seen a million times before, heated up some onion rings and pizza bagels, and offered him a soda can. He sat and looked at it for a while before falling back into the cushions.

“I fucked up.”

“Yea.”

“I wasn’t expectin’ any words of comfort, but…”

“You fucked up, bro. You’ve been an ass since Leo got home. No, longer, actually. You need a healthy outlet, you know!”

Raph rolled his eyes and set the can down.

“But we can fix this. It’s gonna take more than Leo finding a rich boyfriend to split us up.”

“…you got that vibe, too?” Raph had to smile.

“Dude, oh my god, yes!”

“And here I thought he was more into rabbits.” Raph chuckled. Mikey did, too, but then he shrugged,

“Nah. He responds to authority. I think it’s a kind of reaction to him always having to be the responsible one in the family, and seeing as that’s basically the only dynamic he’s known, because we’re so sheltered, the lack of structure in new environments causes stress because he feels the need to assume the leader-role. But now that he’s injured in addition to being in a new place, and Winters rules that place, he’ll submit. I mean, a handsome, older dude with broad shoulders and more money than God? Of course Leo leaves it all to him, giving up control, so he can focus on getting well. And then that might give him the opportunity to see Winters in a new light.”

Raph looked at him, mouth slightly open. Even Donnie looked away from his monitors.

Mikey sighed,

“I’ve watched so much Oprah, dudes.”

“Be that as it may,” Donnie said, “We still need to figure out what is going on with the monsters. And have a rescue operation ready, just in case.”

“In case Leo’s boyfriend is a really bad dude?”

“In case Leo’s boyfriend is a really bad dude.” 


	12. Chapter 12

Serpiente leapt over the rooftops. It was a beautiful night, even if her Foot cohort was weighing her down even more than her stone form.

Yet another unsuccessful hunt. Purposefully, of course. But even with intent and the right information, these children had barely managed to capture the beasts.

With her own clan, she would have found them long ago and with no trouble. They had been unwanted women, infertile, prostitutes, widows. Whatever small reason was needed to get rid of another mouth to feed, another body to take up place, one had been found.

Banding together under Serpiente, they were taught to be warriors. If they couldn’t fight, they were taught in the ways of medicine. They had risen to prominence, ridding villages of evil-doers, and found themselves bathed in equal parts fear and respect. Soon enough, it was an honor to join, rather than a necessity.

And then Yaotl had come with an out-stretched hand…

One of the soldiers landed clumsily, and she brought them all to a halt.

“That’s enough for tonight.”

“But, sir…”

“You are stumbling,” she said, “All of you. Clumsiness is the last thing we need to capture these monsters. Go back to base.”

With one nod, they were gone, and she lost herself to the lights and sounds of the city. It was near overwhelming for her, and yet she yearned to explore it.

“Beautiful, isn’t it, sister?”

Gato’s patrol had taken him in the opposite direction, but she was willing to assume he too had dismissed his group. He, who could fade into any environment, surrounded by rowdy children… it was almost funny. He walked past her and crouched down to get a look on the humans who were too focused on their destination to tip their heads up.

“Chaotic and strange, but beautiful.”

“I could never have dreamed of such development. It seems that only a moment has passed, and the world is entirely new.”

She looked at her hands. The fine lines were gone, as were the scars, the little mole on her knuckle.

“Yaotl is blind to this. All these years he’s been stewing in misery while surrounded by riches. We did not get a taste of the victory he promised us, and now…”

“You do not have to justify yourself to me, sister.”

She sighed, crossing her arms,

“I feel I must. I followed his commands because they were wise, but the years have changed him. He won’t even heed Aguila.”

She put her hand on Gato’s shoulder and they looked out into the night together.

“I want this world, my brother. And I shall have it.”


	13. Chapter 13

April had just chugged down the last of her tea when there was a knock on the door. 

Casey was out cold on the couch, and she was torn between waking him to get him to bed, or just drape a blanket over him.

She padded into the hall and peeked into the spyglass.

Winters was the last one she had expected to see. 

Maybe it was the leftover adrenaline, or she was too tired to be sensible, but she grabbed her katana and opened the door.

“Miss O’Neil…” she pointed the sword at his throat, “I realize it’s late, but that’s uncalled for.”

“Make it good or I’ll give the janitor a nasty surprise.”

Winters lifted an eyebrow,

“Very well. I didn’t get a chance to explain myself when you and your friends broke into my home.”

“Ok?”

“… I don’t suppose you’ll let me in?” 

“You’re sending them back?” Casey’s snoring reached it’s peak in the living room, and Winters smiled.

“Indeed I am.”

“But… alright, why?”

“Do you enjoy having these monsters running around?”

“Of course I don’t! It just made more sense…”

“Ah, yes. Leonardo told me the same thing. Something about supervillainy.”

“Well, can you blame him? It’s kinda a popular pastime for rich guys in this town.”

Winters laughed lowly. But his face soon grew serious again, and he stared into his mug,

“I’m rectifying a mistake made long-ago. I realize you have no reason to trust me, neither with this nor Leonardo’s well-being, but you have my word, I only want to send the monsters back.”

April pressed her lips together and took a deep breath,

“Answer me this, though… are you the general from the legends? Are you general Yaotl?”

“Do you believe that I am?”

“Wouldn’t have been the strangest thing I’d encountered so far.”

Winters held hands out,

“I was granted immortality. But it cost me my family, and I unleashed these beasts upon the world. Only now do I have the means of capturing and containing them. So far, I have only been able to divert them from populated areas. But even that is failing. It seems that they are somehow being drawn towards where the portal will open. But they still stray far from my tower.”

“You don’t think they’d automatically be pulled in when it happens?” April asked.

“I couldn’t tell you. I only know that I am taking no chances. I have sent out my generals to capture the last ones. I will not ask your friends to partake in this with us, but any tips would be welcome… should you see anything.”

April nodded, “Of course.”

Winters looked ready to get up, and she took his wrist,

“How is Leo?”

“Better. He’s healing still.”

“His family misses him.” she said, but it came out weakly. It was the only real argument she had.

“I’m quite sure he misses them, as well. But his loyalty to them has been severely shaken. He seems to no longer fit the mold made for him. It’s not uncommon for a young person, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I, uh…”

“I’m not dissuading him from going home, Miss O’Neil. The moment he is ready to leave, I’ll let him go. And while we are at it, I suppose it’s time I took my leave. Thank you for the tea.”


End file.
